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The DCA are your neighbours who live in the western half of Ottawa's Somerset Ward and includes Chinatown, Little Italy, and LeBreton Flats. We work to improve the neighbourhood by getting involved in projects that affect us.

We note with a great deal of horror that the NCC has closed off the gate whereby hundreds of local residents access NCC bike paths and parklands from the north end of Preston Street (at Albert).

I would like to remind you that this is the nearest and safest point of access for the whole community to the NCC lands. Alternative routes, such as via Booth Street or Albert-to-Bayview are extraordinarily unattractive alternatives. I invite you to cycle along Albert over the O-Train, or Booth northwards from Albert, and tell us that you think these are fine alternatives to the NCC’s 30-year-old off-road wide paved path north of Preston that leads to a legal crosswalk over the transitway and then, via stonedust and asphalt paths, to various NCC amenities that justifiably make Ottawa so attractive. Alternative routes are way longer and on high speed, high volume roads with sub-standard sidewalks and absent any cycling facilities.

Madame Chairman, unlock this gate! Re-open that path!

We do, of course, understand that someday some construction work may take place on the north side of Albert. When that day comes, close the route, if you must, but only at the last minute when heavy equipment is on site. But do consider alternative means: why not keep this route open by putting a new fence along the east side of the Extension, and remediate from there to Booth, accessing the site from Old Wellington or Broad?

And Madame chairman, please accelerate NCC funding for the only partially attractive and viable alternative to the Preston Extension route, which is the ORP to Bayview Station pathway, to join the City of Ottawa’s Bayview to Gladstone path along the O-Train being constructed in 2012.